Taxonomy

Often considered conspecific with E. sapphiropygia, and intermediate specimens exist, but morphological differences support treatment as separate species. Described form E. soderstromi is regarded by some authors as a hybrid of present species and E. nigrivestis, or a race or aberrant form of E. godini. Form E. isaacsonii, known only from three Bogotá trade skins which are not identical, may be a hybrid of Eriocnemis (of undetermined species) × Heliangelus. Three subspecies recognized.

Scientific classification

Class: Aves

Order: Caprimulgiformes

Family: Trochilidae

Subfamily: Lesbiinae

Tribe: Heliantheini

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Recent molecular study found that most of the genera in the following sequence, from Haplophaedia to Heliodoxa, formed a monophyletic group#R. Present family-group name selected over Docimastini by First Revisers#R.